German minister: Syria talks seek opposition-government meet

VIENNA — Germany’s foreign minister says high-level talks on the future of Syria have reached an agreement to seek meetings between the opposition and the government of President Bashar Ashad by year’s end.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier also says that there will be efforts to create a new constitution for the war-torn country and attempts to create a transitional government within 18 months.

Steinmeier spoke at the end of a daylong meeting of nearly 20 countries represented by foreign ministers and their deputies seeking to end Syria’s war. It was overshadowed by the terrorist shootings and bombings in Paris that killed more than 120 people.